Apple, the maker of iconic iPhone, is missing out on an opportunity to further expand in China, says a media report.
In an interview to the 'Financial Times', Lenovo's founder and chairman Liu Chuanzhi said: "Apple is missing a huge opportunity in the Chinese market."
"We are lucky that Steve Jobs has such a bad temper and doesn't care about China. If Apple were to spend the same effort on the Chinese consumer as we do, we would be in trouble," the report said citing Chuanzhi.
Apple has only a handful of flagship stores and authorised sellers through which its products are available to customers in China's major cities. Sales have been sluggish partly because the price tag for the phone is higher than for iPhones sold through unauthorised channels, the report noted.
The iPhone has been legally available only via China Unicom, the country's second-largest mobile operator.
Besides, the report also noted that LePhone, Chinese personal computer company, is also placed well to compete with Apple's iPhone in China because it is customised for Chinese users.
According to the publication, Apple declined to comment on Liu's comments, but said it had opened a new store in Shanghai on Saturday and was on track to have 25 retail outlets in the country by the end of the next year.
According to the publication, Apple declined to comment on Liu's comments, but said it had opened a new store in Shanghai on Saturday and was on track to have 25 retail outlets in the country by the end of the next year.